Rat Removal(closed)

"Okay that is reasonable I suppose since you did tell me your's last night." Just leaned forward. "Where do you want me to start?"

"I don't know. Wherever it begins." Joseph shrugged. Thinking about his own past made him miss his father. He hadn't seen him since he came to the America's.

"At the age of 10 both my parents were killed by bandits who were trying to rob them. After that me and my older both had to defend of our selves on the street.After living on the street for about a year we thought we had gotten pretty good, so good that one night we had found an abandon house to sleep in. Unknown to us it was actually an entrance to an underground fighting arena. I was a natural at it, but my bother was not. After about a month he was beaten to death in a match."

John paused for a while just remembering his older brothers face and thinking about how great he could have been. "After I heard he was killed I challenged the man who killed him to a match in which i beat him to death the same way he did my brother. Every since that day I have vowed to try make this world better. I quickly climbed the ranks of the arena and became champion. At the age about fifteen I left to use my skills that I had learned on the street and in the arena to make more money and hopefully change the world."

John paused again. He started to wonder if he had actually made a change in the world. He then leaned forward in his chair. "I have killed many men up to this day." I on strapped his ax. "I once slaughtered a logging company because I was paid enough, but for my own reason of trying to save some land for the Indians. I used an ax to kill them and since that day all the other mercenaries have called me the Lumberjack"

He then put his ax back. "Kid I have killed Templars, Assassins, other mercenaries, thugs, thieves, a few higher ups, peasants, and many more. I have lived a long life into short of span." John leaned back with his head tilted down.

"Seems like you've made a great difference in the world. Murdering and slaughtering for vengeance. Don't mind me if I forget to praise next time I see you." Joseph rolled his eyes. "Just because someone gives you pocket coin and tells you a sob story, think about what you're doing. You're not avenging anyone. At least I only kill when there is no other optio . When more people will suffer if the target is let to live." He added, mockingly.

"See this is why I do not work with other people." He said as he stood up. "Have you ever thought about the jobs I have taken? I took job to give an Indian tribe their land. I took a job to stop an assassin from killing a family because they knew too much. I took a job to stop a Templar from taking stores over by force because the owners did not have the same point of view as them. I have killed my fellow mercenaries because their jobs were killing innocent people. I took a job to stop thieves from robbing owners who are barely making it." With each sentence he took a step closer to Joseph. "I may take jobs that are not allows in the favor of the whole, but I also have to make a living on my own. I don't have a master to make my decision for me." and at that he spat next to Joseph's boot and turned back to his chair.

"All you stand for is money and your fucked up version of a better world through slaughter and making reason from it. Assassins are no better. You don't have a master to give you orders because you wouldn't know what to do if you even -had- a true cause. You can't stop thinking about your self enough to help others. And when I say help, I'm not saying to slaughter innocent settlers in an attempt to give Indians their land back. It's only going to be taken again by other ambitious men. What then? You slaughter more? What then? When they take it back? And lose it again? Your world is flawed and you are lost. Your a mercenary because you don't know how to be anything else. And you have nothing else to live for." Joseph approached the man just as steadily, using hand gestures. He had a disgusted look on his face.

John turned around and approached Joseph at the same pass"So what the Templars are better off by taking the one thing that gives man a feeling of worth. Your people are all about control. You say you are helping the people, but for once have you ever thought of what the people want. You take away their choice. All you do is say you are helping the greater good, but what if the great good does not want your help." he added extra anger to his last sentence.

" I may have to kill, but I also choice not to kill. I have passed up dozen of jobs that would have be slaughtering people for a good cause, but it was not my cause. And what if my way is flaw. I learn from the flaws. I at least realize that I have flaws. Do you think I always was like this. I tried so many ways of trying to do something, but this is the only way I can do something to stop people like you and the assassins."

"Don't pretend you know the slightest thing about me, or the organization I work with. There are things much deeper than you and I at stake, which we strive to understand. Why do you think I am getting rid of these damn Rats? They are causing dismay among the city. If we didn't care, we would let them run rampant like the Assassins. But we are doing something. I suppose you wouldn't understand anything past a couple of body counts. Don't pretend you know ANYTHING about me or my order."

"I know much more then you know. Do you think I just killed every Assassin or Templar I came across. Hell some saved my life and I repaid them. Some I talked to them for hours, they told me about their organizations' dream, their goals, what they were actually trying to do, but you know what none of them are alive anymore because you two keep killing each other. To be honest you both want the better world for everyone, but none of you seem to be willing to talk to each other!" At that point John and Joseph were face to face. John could feel the breath of Joseph on his face. He knew at this point either one could kill the other if they wanted to, but did they have the power to restrain themselves.

"You act like you know everything. You don't. I'd be doing people a favor by ending you. But it'll have to wa it until after the job. I'm sure you have a bounty on your head. Unless I find you useful somehow." He smirked and turned away. "I'm not nearly as old as you and I'm worth much more to the world."

"And that is the attitude that will get you killed," John said as he turned to go to his chair. "By the way hows the shoulders, foot, and groan." he said with a smirk.

"Talk all you want, but at least I still -have- the balls to stand up for something above myself." He winced, being reminded of the aching his body felt.

"Just remember those words, when your order makes you do something you do not like, kid" John sat down. There was no way that John was going to be able to convince Joseph that meaning a mercenary held more then selflessness. He also knew that if the kid kept being so cocky he would likely not see his sixteenth birthday.

"My whole life is dedicated to my order. They don't give orders I can't follow. I was born to serve. If I am doing a service to the order, it is right. When you die, your legacy will die . There are a plethora of soldiers for hire, you are replaceable. You won't be mourned. I was born superior to you. I have a purpose. You are a blind fool." Jospeh says. If only the man knew about the precursors. The technology. The legends. If only he knew the true power of the Templars.

"And that is why I am a man for hire. I was not born for anything specific. I got to choice. I do need a legacy that lives after me as long as I feel like I am doing the right thing. I also will be mourned, by the people I help, by the friends I have made, and the rivals I compete against." John said with a smile as he realized he had all of those and was proud to have them all.

"Also remember you maybe born superior, but the weak were born to grow." John was done with the conversation. He had said what was on the mind. He thought to himself. "well i guess I don't have to ask later now"

Joseph leaned onto the ship. "I won't mourn you. I mourn things like the death of a hero, the death of my favorite whore, and the death of a good man. But now that we have a better understanding of eachother, I can only hope the Rats will make their move soon." Joseph said. "I wonder what I should change the name to."

"I did not say you would mourn me, did I?" John just rolled his eyes.

He thought to himself. "Does he really think I would call him a foe."

"Why do you need to change it?" John said getting up and walking around a little bit.

"Rats doesn't sound nearly frightening enough." Joseph responded.

"You are going to run a thieves guild, not a mercenary guild. You really do not need a frightening name do you really." John said not caring really.

"We do. We need to have a frightening name that will not promote the rise of enemy guilds or rival gangs. I was thinking something like The Profane Syndicate. It means secular and knowledgable, rather than religious." Joseph said.

John chuckled "and to other guilds it means nothing."

"How about Knights Profane?" Joseph said. "They will be run by Templars so it makes sense to call them knights of their own. And we seek knowledge over religion. I think it is great."

"It is better, but you are going about it the wrong way. The names of guilds and gangs are simple. The reason for that is because most of the members of the guild/gang, at least in this area, are uneducated. Who would want to be part of a group that you don't even know what your own name means?" John said with a slight raised eyebrow and a tilt of his head.

"Alright then... how about The Knights?" Joseph asked

"Not bad," John said while nodding his head. "Remember you are thieves though and The Knights sound like a mercenary guild." He gestured a little with his hands.